Iaskyon
General information Iaskyon (IPA: /ˈjas.kjɔn/) is an Yosic language native to an island nation Iaskáca. It is notable for its handling of ergativity, heavy verb conjugation, as well as synthetic noun compounding. Iaskyon can be written in two left-to-right scripts called Iaswü (IPA: /ˈjas.βy/, literally Ias writing) and Xogwü (IPA: /ˈɣɔg.βy/, literally rock writing). Phonology Consonants Syllabic consonants /m/ and /l/ have syllabic counterparts ḿ''' /m̩/ and '''ĺ /l̩/. Vowels Short vowels Long vowels Long vowels are represented orthographically by an acute accent or adding à'. e.g. 'é or eà. Diphthongs There is a large inventory of possible diphthongs, with a total of 15 of them. : Phonotactics Iaskyon syllables are maximally: (C'('G))V'('C), or (C'('G))S''', where '''C = consonant, G''' = glide, '''V = vowel and S''' = syllabic consonant. Onset The initial consonant has no restrictions. The following glide can be '''y/j/ or w'''/β/>w. '''Allowed onsets are of the followings: : Nucleus The nucleus can be any vowel, except for iu üa üe üi üö ui /iu ya yɛ yi yœ ui/ when the onset consists of an initial consonant and a glide. Syllables such as yui /jui/, wüan /βyan/ are allowed but rare. Syllabic consonants ḿ''' /m̩/ and '''ĺ /l̩/ can also be a nucleus but the syllable cannot have a coda. Coda The final consonant, can technically be any consonant except y''' /j/ and '''w /β/, but þ''' /tθ/ and '''ç /tɬ/ are very rare. (þaç /tθatɬ/ "red" is an example of an exception.) Allophony *Plosives are usually unreleased at coda. *Plosives and affricates are aspirated at onset. *'h' /x/ is realised as ç before and after /i(:)/, /y(:)/, and before /j/. *'x' /ɣ/ is realised as ʝ before and after /i(:)/, /y(:)/, before /j/, and ʔ at the end of a syllable. *'w' /β/ is realised as w as a glide (second consonant) in a syllable. *'t' /t/ are realised as ʔ at the end of a syllable. Stress Stress of a word follows these rules in order of priority: Stress falls on #First long vowel e.g. hepmé "bright" but not *hepmé #"Separable affixes" (See below) are not counted #Penultimate syllable #If stress falls on a grammatical suffix (other than conjugational suffixes), move stress one syllable backwards. e.g. aegemjo "merge" but not *aegemjo Stress of a "separable compound word" (See below) follow these overriding rules: Stress falls on #The head component e.g. lwoþwat "have to find" e.g. kolmun''awa'' "winter sky" Separable and non-separable affixes Non-separable affixes are: *All affixes that are inseparable in terms of a new meaning conveyed e.g. ''-en'' appended to tinwet "teach": **tinwet''en'' "act of teaching" is separable **tinwet''en'' "education" is non-separable *All infixes *Directional affixes e.g. uk''hàg "come ''down" *Causative prefix e.g. lah''yet "''make (sb.) eat" Other affixes are separable. Separable and non-separable compound words Non-separable compound words are: *Compound words of which the meaning has shifted, or become specific e.g. yetihken "restaurant" vs. yetihken "place of eating" *Compound words which are frequently used e.g. syomxaod "fish meat/flesh" Morphophonology Internal sandhi Synaeresis The following table shows the general formation of diphthongs or long vowels from two adjacent short vowels on a morpheme boundary. *Empty spaces imply the vowels are pronounced in two syllables. *Combinations resulting in glide + vowel cannot occur if there is already a glide prior to the vowels. Suffix sandhi Rendaku When two consecutive syllables start with the same voiceless consonant, the second consonant is voiced. *háhàge (greeting) /ˈxaːxɜɡɛ/ > [ˈxaː'ɣ'ɜɡɛ] *sesḿ (spoke) /'sɛsm̩/ > [ˈsɛ'z'''m̩] External sandhi Morphology Nouns There are no grammatical genders nor articles in Iaskyon. Nouns are only inflected for cases, and inflection for number is generally obsolete. There are 7 cases in Iaskyon: Pronouns Personal pronouns Personal pronouns in Iaskyon are relatively simple, as all pronouns are distinct and specific in person and number. There is a three-way distinction of singular, dual and plural pronouns inherited from older, now obsolete declensions in number. Another three-way distinction in sentient, animate and inanimate beings in third person pronouns exists, which originates from an even older noun class system. *The '''wu'-form is the more generic, while the xeà-form is often considered informal, sometimes even arrogant. Demonstratives Verbs Verbs are the most productive lexical category in Iaskyon, which describes an action, an event, a state, or a change in state. It is heavily conjugated to tense, aspect and mood. There exists two grammatical classes of verbs, namely t-class and null-class. T-class and null-class verbs T-class and null-class verbs are two classes of verbs that take different forms when conjugated. *'T-class verbs:' **By definition end with a 't' **May be formed by ***An obsolete affix added to a root ending with a vowel; verbs formed this way may or may not end with 'et'. ***Derivation from other parts of speech; verbs formed this way tend to end with 'et'. **When conjugated, the 't'-ending of which undergoes irregular consonant mutation. *'Null-class verbs:' **Does not end with a 't' **May be formed by ***Unaltered root forms ***Other derivations into verbs **When conjugated, the endings of which may or may not undergo regular sound mutation. Tense Iaskyon verbs have 4 tenses, each representing different time of action relative to the time of utterance. *'Present' The present, or the unconjugated form, marks: #actions or events that take place in the present, or an indefinite time. e.g. Wi goxe yet. "I eat rice (now or at an indefinite time)" #actions or events of which the time is unknown. e.g. Toi wem upleu ses''adem su upcyeu (lau) nasḿ. "He ''said to me at some point but I forgot when." #actions or events that have an implied time due to simultaneity with other events, or because it is already mentioned in the main clause. e.g. Tĺbo wakowem þàkfeullet''pye, i Sináeu uhöl kaisḿ. "As they ''are moving east, they discovered plains in Shinar." *'Past' The past marks: #actions or events that take place in the past relative to the time of utterance. e.g. Wi üşeu goxe yesḿ. "I ate rice yesterday" #actions or events that take place in the past relative to the time of another specified event. e.g. Yoi yase lömçupye, wu xyenyopüm. "By the time you (will) read this, I will probably have died. *'Near future' The near future marks: #actions or events that are upcoming, in the immediate, and planned or forcast future. e.g. Wi xuso. "I gonna go". e.g. Wu xyeno. "I am dying soon." #actions or events that take place in a definite, subjectively non-distant future. #actions or events that are more temporary than another. *'Distant future' The distant future marks: #actions or events that take place in a far future, i.e. months or years after. #actions or events that take place in an indefinite future that is subjectively distant. #long term states in the future. Aspect *'Generic / gnomic' The gnomic aspect marks: #general truths (must be in present tenses). e.g. Hawon höüi. "The sun shines." #general, enduring situations (e.g. habits) which may not be permanent (may be in any tense except near future). e.g. Wu upib öüm. "I used to be young" *'Progressive' The progressive aspect marls: #incomplete actions in progress in the referenced time. e.g. Wi goxe yellet. "I am eating rice." e.g. Ecliyw Nóusononem xusmet. "Ecliyw was going to Northbridge." #state transition in progress in the referenced time. e.g. Wi kod holàket. "I am putting on a 'kod' (shirt)." not *"I am wearing a 'kod'." Mood *'Potential' *'Permissive' *'Abilitative' *'Desiderative' *'Imperative' *'Cohortative' *'Optative' Other verb forms *'Causative' *'"Linking" form' *'"Compound" form' (See below) Other verb types Transitive and intransitive verbs Auxiliary verbs Some moods cannot be expressed by conjugation and auxiliary verbs are utilised. Compound verbs Irregular verbs *'a - ''to be' The verb 'a''' is the copula. It takes two arguments, both in the absolutive. It is used to: #denote identity. e.g. Hüikiyw wö alnoem a''. "Hüikiyw ''is my mother." #denote class mermbership, except for class within classes. e.g. Wu hwe a''. "I ''am a human." e.g. *Hwétoun taulon a''. "Dogs ''are animals." (See ''sa'') *'la - ''to exist' *'sa - to belong' The verb 'sa' takes two arguments, the "possessor" being in the ergative and the "possessed" in the absolutive. It is used to: #denote possession. #denote class being within other classes. e.g. Hwétoun tauloni ''sa. "Dogs are animals." *'jo - ''to become' Conjugation tables Adjectives and adverbs Particles Numbers The number system in Iaskyon is vigesimal (base-20). The writing system Iaswü has a set of 20 numerals to represent it. Larger numbers are grouped by '''yil' /jil/ (100020, i.e. 800010), alike the Indo-European system of grouping by thousands. Basic numerals * I is skipped in the vigesimal notation to avoid mistaking for 1. Attached forms *'Normal nouns' Numbers are appended as a suffix to the noun. **gin (thing): gin'ya' (1), gindon (2), ginlàd (3), ginwöx (4), ginkí (5)... **mök (cat): mök'ya' (1), mökdon (2), möklàd (3), mökwöx (4), mökkí (5)... *''Hwe'' The word hwe "person" takes irregular forms with numbers. **'hwá' (1), hu'dau' (2), hu'yàd' (3), huwöx (4), hukí (5)... *'Ordinals' The ordinal prefix takes the form of cV-'', where ''V is the first (short) vowel of the numeral. **'cyé' (1), c'o'''don (2), c'à'làd (3), c'ö'wöx (4), c'i'kí (5), c'o'wou (6)... *'Number of times''' In representing number of times or instances, a suffix ''-hen'' is used. **'yahun' (1), dauhun (2), làdhen (3), wöxhen (4), kíhen (5)... Fractions and vigesimals Word derivation Change in parts of speech No change in parts of speech Word compounding Syntax Word order Relative clauses Speech Vocabulary Swadesh list Example texts The Universal Declaration of Human Rights *'Article 1; Kiloncy-1' Fá hwe nixonax yawaoşöüno, hecleŋeu cwakleŋeuel pöüloşöü. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Tĺbo lékmaşehĺ hácexşehĺel üneĺino, i çamkwel mwőgkwolöŋau núgĺ çodgat. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should treat each other in a spirit of brotherhood. Category:Languages Category:Iaskyon